Mali is currently experiencing a dramatic escalation in internal insecurity. Data reveals that jihadist groups have carried out a record number of kidnappings targeting foreign nationals this year.
According to conflict monitoring data, a minimum of 22 to 26 foreign nationals were abducted between May and October 2025. This figure represents the highest number ever recorded in the country. The total nearly doubles the previous peak of 13 kidnappings recorded in 2022.
The New “Economic Jihad”
The victims originate from a diverse range of countries. They include nationals from China, India, Egypt, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Several people from the Balkans specifically Serbian, Croatian, and Bosnian citizens were also targeted.
These abductions are overwhelmingly attributed to JNIM, the influential coalition linked to Al-Qaeda operating across the Sahel region.
Experts assert that this kidnapping campaign has evolved into a primary tactic of JNIM’s so-called “economic jihad.” The ransoms demanded have reached staggering levels. In one recent case, the militant group is widely believed to have secured a payment of at least $50million for the release of a UAE hostage and his associates. This immense sum represents the highest known ransom recorded in the region.
Undermining Investment and Stability
Beyond simply financing the group’s military operations, these abductions serve a broader strategic purpose. The primary aim is to discourage foreign investment and further destabilize Mali’s already fragile political and economic landscape.
JNIM specifically threatened foreign businesses in June, warning that any company operating without its “authorization” would be targeted.
With international actors increasingly becoming targets, this security crisis poses rising risks for diplomacy, ongoing development projects, and overall regional security across West Africa. The United States and the United Kingdom recently announced they were pulling out all non-essential personnel from the country, and several embassies have urged their citizens to depart.
The successful negotiation of exorbitant ransoms provides JNIM with a major financial boost. This cash infusion is anticipated to sustain the group’s current high level of military engagement, potentially allowing it to prolong its crippling fuel blockade on the capital, Bamako, for an extended period.
The high value placed on foreign hostages by militant groups is likely to encourage the adoption of similar tactics by other armed groups in the region, further complicating the security environment.
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